Canadian Marketing Blog

What Diamond Shreddies says about us.

Every so often a campaign comes along that is truly smart, fun and memorable. The new Diamond Shreddies campaign is all three.

You've probably seen the billboards. Of course there are commercials too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZeAwpPqnJU

So, what's so great about this campaign? Basically, it deconstructs everything we do as marketers, advertising professionals, clients, and customers. For example, I use a certain brand of razor. It has a blue strip across the top. Apparently, when the blue stripe turns white, it's time to start a new blade. If you've ever seen a picture of me, or met me, you know I go through a lot of blades. The marketers of those razors are brilliant. I know it's smart marketing. And I know why they added the blue stripe. I’m onto them. But I admit that before they added that little blue stripe, I used those blades at least a week or two longer than I do now and amazingly they worked just fine. Go figure.

So when the truly brilliant makers of Shreddies came out with new and improved Diamond Shreddies (urban legend has it that an intern at their agency actually came up with the idea) they not only turned the fractured mirror back on us as marketers, they also stuck a finger in the ribs of today's gullible consumer. Take a look a this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOuC5jjTZOI&feature=related

Having sat in countless focus groups, I can’t believe how spot on this little viral video is. Poor consumer. They didn't stand a chance.

I’ve never been much of a breakfast cereal eater. But now that Shreddies come in diamond shapes, I’m seriously considering them as a snack.

Simply brilliant...any idea what agency is responsible for this?

I agree -- very well done. It's been a while since I have seen a marketing campaign this clever.

I read that Ogilvy and Mather is the agency that created the campaign (the same agency that Kraft works with). Apparently it was a summer intern who originally came up with the idea of Diamond Shreddies... smart kid!

it was indeed an intern at Ogilvy Toronto that came up with this

I think Square Shreddies and Diamond Shreddies are the same thing. You could take a square Shreddies, rotate it 45 degrees and you will get a Diamond Shreddies (maybe not as big); nothing that original. Both Shreddies taste the same. They just want to seem more innovative and sell more cereal.

This is an example as to how gullable the public really is.... it's the same cereal that I remember as a child, boring and tasteles... if you're excited for diamond shreddies, it's evident that you are a slave to marketing and advertising.

Patronizing and ridiculous. i'm going to take a break from this product for a while.....oh! did I say break? I meant BRAKE.... either way, it means STOP.

THE DIAMOND SHREDDIES AD IS THE BEST ORIGINAL CAMPAIGN I'VE SEEN IN ALONG TIME. THE SAD COMMENTS FROM THOSE WHO HAVE NO IDEA THAT THE REAL CHANGE IS NO CHANGE AT ALL. BRILLIANT! MY HUSBAND EATS SHREDDIES EVERY MORNING AND HAS FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS AT LEAST. HE HATES A GOOD PRODUCT THAT GETS CHANGED EXAMPLE HONEY SHREDDIES BUT HE LOVES THIS AD. WHAT'S MORE, HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU EVEN SEEN A SHREDDIES AD? BRAVO !

This campaign has the mark of genius! They even have someone selling "the last of the square Shreddies" on Ebay!

When the consumer begins interacting with an ad, the campaign transcends advertising to become a part of the culture. Brilliant!

Possibly my favourite campaign of all time - perfectly simple and almost endlessly effective. Absolutely nailed this one.

Comments about this along the lines of: "This is the exact same cereal, just turned it 45 degrees" or "They haven't changed anything, they just want to sell more Shreddies" are almost as entertaining as the campaign itself :)

the summer intern came up with part of the idea, but it was Tim Piper - of Dove Evolution etc... - that came up with the idea for the focus groups. At least, that's what I've heard. If I'm wrong, I apologize to intern.

I just watched your add of Facebook. HILARIOUS!! Best Ad Campaign I've ever seen.

Hi guys, I can´t believe that you all love this campaign! The only thing this campaign does is making fun of you! Who loves a brand who treats you like a retard?

Anyway...just my personal opinion.

the only retard here is the people who dont like this ad, they seem to think that shreddies is intentionmally trying to dupe us, even though they know that anyone with half a brain will appreciate the irony and the satire on other "NEW" produsts. lol good work, for more info there is a great macleans article on this ad

Diamond shreddies ARE just Square shreddies turned on an angle. You people aren't innovative at all if you wanted to come out with some new shape of shreddies to amaze your customers, try making them circles or triangles! Whoever is doing your marketing is seriously out of the loop.

I find the "Diamond Shreddies" ads COMPLETELY annoying...HOWEVER...I do see why some people like it. In the marketing world, it is genius. The hype alone (no changes to the product necessary) will sell more cereal. But only to those who do not hate the ad campaign!!!

Pour both cereals into a bowl. Can you tell the square from the diamond? Now pour each cereal into separate bowls. Can you tell now? Of course not, they're the same. This ad makes me want to boycott Shreddies. If the diamond shape costed more and you would purchase it, you're a sucker.

In a world where people have nothing to eat, all you can think about is how you can sell more of your product by adding a marketing scheme. Square or diamond, it's all the same. If people like your product, why spend money trying to sell it under a supposely different form. Put your money somewhere else.

They are the same cereal. I think that General Mills is wasting money trying to resell a product that is virtually unchanged.

Well, I like the Shreddies Combo pak the most 'cause it tastes the best!

I need that ad company working for me!

What amazes me the most about the whole Diamond Shreddies is the peoples reaction. My first reaction after seeing this commercial was that this was a brilliant idea: Promote a change in the product, that isnt a change at all. I by no means conscider myself smarter then the average person, so i figured most people would just laugh this off. But instead to my amazement there are people writing negatively about this change accusing Shreddies of "mocking them". First of all there was no price change for the "new" Shreddies and there definitly wasnt a change in taste. The only thing that did change is the picture on the box and the idea they sell along with it. They're not exploiiting the consumers as 'retards', so stop being so offended. It's a clever joke and if you dont get it then I think you deserve to be mocked.

Sorry, but it is you who are being mocked and are too naive to even notice. It is not a joke. Companies don't joke with millions of dollars and if you think they do, then you are the retard. General Mills is literally saying that the American public is so stupid that if you advertise anything as new people will buy it. I no longer eat General Mills products. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who eats cereal for the shape instead of the taste, well that's your choice.

There is nothing brilliant about this. Shreddies changed nothing except the angle of the picture on the box and launched what is probably a multimillion dollar advertising campaign based upon this one stupid act. Every time I see the ad I wonder if the company really thinks that Canadians are stupid or naive enough to buy into this, and it aggravates the hell out of me. My vote? Cheerios. After being mocked as a country by these people for months I will never eat shreddies again

What does it say about you? A diamond does not have four equal length sides. A square does!

I'm surprised at all the positive comments. Good for you, Shreddies! Personally, I find the new ads a tremendous insult to my intelligence. Are people really this stupid, or do people just think stupidity is fun? I wish you all the best, Shreddies.

Of course it's tongue in cheek and it's a good joke. BUT - why does the actual marketing subtly make males the goofs and females the admired ones?

Post took a cute idea and put the diamonds into a PINK trimmed box and the squares into a BLUE trimmed box. HELLO! Here we go again - girls are precious and boys are squares!

Thanks a lot Nestle-Post.

Wynn Downing

"I think Square Shreddies and Diamond Shreddies are the same thing. You could take a square Shreddies, rotate it 45 degrees and you will get a Diamond Shreddies (maybe not as big); nothing that original. Both Shreddies taste the same. They just want to seem more innovative and sell more cereal."

I can only hope that whoever you are, your job does not involve the safety of others around you. I thought this ad was funny, when I first herd that people thought Shreddies was trying to make everyone look like idiots I laughed. When I read more about this I came to the conclusion that there are apparently way, way more stupid people in this world than I had ever imagined. A huge part of my faith in the overall intelligence on mankind has been lost thanks to you. Its a joke, that's it, calm down.

Now, in order to support those responsible for putting this ad on air, im going to buy a whole crate of Shreddies.